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Giant Cast Iron Cinnamon Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting

A giant shareable cinnamon roll that you serve like a cake— a huge crowd pleaser!
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Prep Time 1 hr 45 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 15 mins
Total Time 3 hrs
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

For Dough

  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 2 cups whole milk warm to the touch
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 pack active dry yeast
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt

For Filling

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp milk
  • 1/4 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Butter a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or cake pan).
  • In a large bowl, whisk warm milk, melted butter, and granulated sugar until combined. The mixture should be just warm, registering between 100-110˚F (40˚C). If hotter, allow to cool slightly before proceeding.
  • Sprinkle the yeast evenly over the warm mixture and let sit for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of the flour to the milk mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. (Pro tip: if it's cold or winter in your house— set on a heating pad on the low setting to rise!)
  • After 1 hour, the dough should have nearly doubled in size. Remove the towel and add an additional ¾ cup (95 grams) of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Stir well, then turn out onto a well-floured surface.
  • Knead the dough lightly, adding additional flour as necessary, until the dough just loses its stickiness and does not stick to the surface. Then, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick. Fix corners to make sure they are sharp and even.
  • Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, light brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread onto dough from edge to edge in a thin, even layer.
  • Make 3 horizontal cuts to divide the dough into 4 long, evenly-sized strips. Starting from the top, roll the first strip up from right to left. Take the first roll and place it on top of the next strip, starting again on the right side and rolling up right to left, building on the first. Continue with the remaining strips until you have a giant cinnamon roll.
  • Place the giant cinnamon roll in the prepared skillet or cake pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm spot and leave to rise for 30 minutes. The cinnamon roll should nearly expand to the edges of the pan during this time. Preheat the oven to 325˚F during this last rise.
  • Uncover the cinnamon roll and bake for 45 minutes. Cover the roll with foil to prevent the outside from burning, and bake for an additional 35 minutes.
  • While the cinnamon roll is baking, prepare the frosting by first mixing the softened cream cheese and butter, and then mixing in the powdered sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla bean paste until combined.
  • Remove the cinnamon roll from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Unmold to serving plate and top with frosting.